Laurence Fishburne is Perry White in The Man of Steel

Fans were excited with the thought of some sneak preview footage of Zack Snyder‘s new Superman film Man of Steelat comic-con, but as evinced with the latest casting news, the film isn’t ready to go yet. Such may be why the release date was pushed back to June 14, 2013. But the news is that Laurence Fishburne has been added as Perry White to the still growing cast.

Fishburne is great casting, though some comic book fans blanch at race changes in movies. Whether that’s racism or just an inability to adapt to change is hard to say. Regardless, Fishburne has a steely gravitas that comes with his voice, and being a veteran of the industry for over thirty years. This means that he can do a lot with a little, which is exactly what the role calls for.

Fishburne got his break in Francis Ford Coppola‘s Apocalypse Now, a film he started when he was 14, and named Larry. He worked, but it was John Singleton’s Boyz N the Hood and a surprise Oscar Nomination for What’s Love Got to Do With It that showed he was not only talented but respected by his peers. Then came The Matrix.

Of late Fishburne has kept busy with CSI on the small screen, and supporting work in movies like Predators. This is along those lines, but with Fishburne you get a sense of authority and often a little mix of kindness. It’s smart casting, and they’ve done nothing but cast up with this project. Here’s hoping it’s good.

Damon worked in the film business as a Film Buyer for a theater chain for many years, which gives him an interesting perspective on the numbers. He's written for Collider, Chud, Screencrush, The DVD Journal and Binaryflix online, and was published by The New York Times and Willamette Week, along with his college, high school and middle school papers.